Pain-Induced Pride
by dobokdude
Summary: Everyone knows Rainbow Dash can be arrogant, self centered and vain. And that maybe so, but what they don't know is why. and AJ finds out the hard way. Rated T for Angst
Pain-Induced Pride, a MLP fanfic

 **Hey everypony! Welcome to my first Friendship is Magic fanfic. I became a brony back in middle school and it's been more of an on/off thing. But now the next phase is fanfiction, so without further ado, here's Pain Induced Pride.**

 **NOTE: I own nothing. My Little Pony is owned by Hasbro, Lauren Faust and Discovery Family.**

It was a sunny day at Sweet Apple Acres. Applebloom was off with her friends playing in their clubhouse, while Granny Smith napped and Big Mac had gone to town to run some errands. This left Applejack to tend to the chores for the day. It took awhile but she was finally done.

As AJ leaned against a tree, wiping the sweat from her brow a familiar voice caught her attention.

''Howdy there Rainbow Dash.''

''Eh, nothing. I was just bored.''

''Well I just finished meh chores. So I'm pretty much free I guess.''

''Hey Applejack. Check this out.'' The cyan pegasus began swooping through the air, doing loop da loops and spins. Applejack just rolled her eyes. _Always the prideful one,_ she thought to herself.

Everyone knew Rainbow Dash could be incredibly prideful about her flying. She was a nice mare but there were times when she definitely did brag. A lot. Heck, even Spitfire once said that Rainbow thinks so highly of herself that she's in outer freaking space!

But then Applejack saw that Rainbow Dash was going for another loop but now she had gone too fast. And she was heading right for the corn crops.

''RAINBOW, STOP''!

Her warning came too late. There was a crashing sound as well as a yelp from the rainbow pegasus along with the rustling of plants. AJ ran over and saw luckily that Rainbow Dash had already gotten up and was brushing herself off. But she couldn't say the same for the corn though.

It had taken an hour and a half to get those plants in, having them watered and spreading fertilizer. And now most of them were destroyed. And all because somepony wanted to flaunt that she could fly?!

Rainbow Dash, having brushed the last of the excess dirt off of her fur, strectched her wings and luckily found they were still intact. ''Boy AJ, that was some crash. But don't worry I'm f-''

''Rainbow Dash.'' Applejack glared at her friend, her voice dripping with contempt and rage, ''WHAT IN THE HAY IS WRONG WITH YOU! You at what you've done!

Rainbow Dash glanced back at the ruined vegetation, ''It's fine AJ. They're just plants. I mean at least I'm not hurt.''

''It's always about you Rainbow Dash! You don't care about anypony but yourself! You just destroyed damn near our entire corn crop!

Rainbow was taken aback. She had hardly, if ever heard Applejack curse. ''Look, I'm sorry about the corn. But who who are you to call me selfish?! Need I remind you that you practically abandoned your friends and family just because you lost some rodeo!

''That's different! I was gonna come back when I got the bits I didn't win. Look Rainbow point is, this isn't just about corn. This is about your stuck up, arrogant attitude.

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to reply, but Applejack kept going. ''All you really like to do is brag about how good you can fly and do tricks and all that. It's almost like you're trying to show how you being a pegasus make us unicorns and earth ponies inferior. Well guess what Ms. Daredevil, I may be an Earth pony, but I would rather be that than to be a dumb, self righteous Wonderbolt wannabe who maybe if she died in one of her ''accidents'', maybe people's lives would be better.

Applejack did not fully comprehend what she had said until she saw Dash's face. She looked destroyed, absolutely destroyed. Her eyes were filling with tears and her lips had formed into a tight frown.

''Rainbow w-''

Applejack didn't finish as the pegasus flew away quickly. Applejack sighed and began walking to the barn, where she sat and put her face in her hooves.

 _What did I just do? I was mad but I shouldn't have gone that far..._

''Applejack?''

The orange colored pony looked to see her younger sibling gazing up at her. She managed a small smile despite her mood. ''Hi there sugarcube.''

''Applejack are you ok?''

''What do you mean?''

''Well for one the cornfield looks like Twilight and Tirek had it out there and you're over here looking like you're about to cry.''

Applejack sighed and motioned for her sister to set next to her. Apple Bloom obliged and then looked up at AJ showing that she was listening.

''Well Apple Bloom here's what happened. I had just finished all the chores including planting the corn and then Rainbow Dash came along looking for company. While I was resting under the tree, she began praticing some of her fancy tricks, but she spun out of control and plowed right throught the corn. She wasn't hurt but I was very upset about the corn.''

Apple Bloom nodded,''What happened then?''

''We got into an argument. I was upset because she didn't seem to concerned about what she did. I called her selfish and arrogant, and she turned it around on me mentioning the rodeo incident. After that I called her a Wonderbolt wannabe and told her that maybe it would be better if she had...''

''Had what?''

''Died.''

The filly gasped at what she just heard. Applejack looked away for a moment before turning back to her, ''I know it was wrong Sugarcube. I didn't mean it but I was just so mad. She really didn't seem to care that sshe ruined all the hard work I did.''

The two were silent for about a minute or two before Apple Bloom spoke up, ''AppleJack there's something you should know.''

AJ's ears perked up, ''What is it sugarcube?''

''Look AJ, I know Rainbow Dash can be kinda prideful and vain, and even kinda selfish but have you ever wondered why?''

''I always assumed it was because she has talent but she just takes it too far and flaunts it, like that Mare -Do Well incident.''

Applebloom took a deep breath, ''Well you see, Rainbow Dash never had a very good childhood.''

''Huh?'' Applejack was confused. But then she thought about it and aside from her first rainboom, Rainbow had never spoken about her days as a foal.

''Yeah, well I had overheard her and Scootaloo talking one day, when you sent me to town to fetch some supplies and they were sitting on a bench having ice cream. At first they was just talking about the weather and what not, and then Scootaloo asked about her her parents.''

''When she did, Rainbow Dash just went quiet for a minute. But then she told Scootaloo that she felt she could trust her. Apparently before she'd been born, her mom obviously met her dad and it was love at first sight. His name was Boltwing due to his speed and her mom's name was Sonic Boom. They bonded over their love of flying and speed as most pegasi do and months later it led to their marriage and then Rainbow Dash.''

Applejack nodded thoughtfully. ''I'm guessing this is where things start to go bad?'' Apple Bloom nodded and then continued.

''Anyway over the next few months Boltwing had gone from being such a nice stallion to being agitated and moody most of the time. He didn't really like parenting, as he felt it weighed him down which wasn't good for a pony who used to the fast lane. Sonic Boom tried her best to make things work but then she found out he had cheated on her with a younger, sterile mare. Sonic was devastated but stayed strong for her daughter.

With Bolt gone, she had to move in with her brother who gave her a job at the Barnyard Bargains he managed. They had to lived in an ok apartment and made ends meet but it was nothing fancy. Things were seeming alright but then something happened.

One day Sonic had taken Rainbow Dash to a fair and as they were leaving they ran into Bolt Wing and his mistress-turned-wife Hover Hoof. For whatever reason when he saw Rainbow he sneered at her and said that he was her father and that he left because there was no way to be stuck with a pathetic, deadweight mistake. He said that she was the reason why her mom struggled and that she shouldv'e been aborted when the test read positive.''

Applejack put a hoof over her mouth in shock. _''Who would say such a thing to a filly, or anything for that matter?''_ She thought, as hypocritical as that sounded at the moment.

Apple Bloom stopped for a minute letting her sister process what she heard so far. She continued, ''After that, Rainbow Dash spent a few days in depressin. She stayed in her room, with hardly any light. Her uncle even considered having her see a therapist who shopped regularly at his store. But eventually Rainbow snapped out of it and returned to her usually young self. Not long after she joined flight camp and performed her rainboom. Rainbow then told Scootaloo that after that she was determined to show that she wasn't a mistake, that she was worth something.''

''I'm no psychologist, but it seems to me that the reason Rainbow is so cocky and arrogant is because subconciously after all these years she still feels like she needs to prove something to someone who abandoned her all those years ago. And also it helps her forget the pain she feels. It's definitley no excuse but what you said really opened an old wound and I reckon you should go talk to her.''

AppleJack rubbed her chin and then stood up. ''You're right sugarcube.'' She sad rubbing her sister's head. ''Im'ma do that right now.'' She made her way out of Sweet Apple Acres heading to Rainbow's sky mansion. While walking up the steps Applejack thought about what she was gonna say. She couldn't just say sorry. Not when she'd done something this bad.

Finally she'd gotten to the front steps and noticed that Rainbow's door was ajar. _Strange_ , she thought. She quickly, but quietly went inside hoping that no one had broken in. But then that's when she noticed a dripping sound coming from upstairs. She followed the sound and saw it was coming from Rainbow Dash's bedroom. She walked in and heard it coming from the bathroom. But nothing could prepare her for what she saw.

Rainbow Dash was lying on her back in the tub, which was filled nearly to the brim with water, causing her muzzle to have been submerged. Her wrist had been slit, crimson blood dripping onto the linolium. Applejack then noticed a bloody jagged shard of glass next to some smaller pieces and a picture frame. And then there was a picture.

AppleJack picked it up and saw it was a sanpshot of Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, Dash, Fluttershy and her. They were all smiling and huggin each was when they had gone on a picnic during the summer and had a blast. Rainbow must had been looking at it right before she tried to take her life. She wanted one of her happiest memories to be the last she saw before...

Applejack stuck the photo in her hat and pulled Rainbow out of the tub. She pput her hoof in her neck to feel for a pulse.

 _Please Celestia_ , _please._ A very weak ''thump thump'' vibrated against her hoof tip. She immediately called the emergency services who said they would be right over.

After she hung up Applejack went back to her friend. Her eyes were blurry with tears but she could still make out the look of sadness but yet also a hint of happiness on her face.

''Please Rainbow, I'm so sorry. Please don't leave me...''

Rainbow Dash's eyes opened to the blinding lights of the hostpital ceiling. She groaned and then slowly her eyes adjusted. She noticed that an IV needle was attached to her upper arm and her arm felt numb and were bandaged. She felt lighteheaded and disoriented. Obviously her suicide attempt had failed. But who had s-

''Rainbow Dash.''

Sweet Celestia. Rainbow recognized that Southern accent anywhere. For a few moments she said nothing, she just faced the wall to her left. But eventually she turned towards the right to see Applejack sitting in a chair, clutching her hat in her hooves.

When she saw Dash was facing her, she immediately got up and wrapped her arms around her semi-tightly felt her tears falling onto her back.

''Rainbow I was so scared. They told me you didn't know if you were gonna make it. You lost quite a bit of blood but you managed to pull through.''

AppleJack let go and saw that Rainbow Dash had been silently crying while hugging her. ''Applejack why?''

AJ raised an eyebrow. ''Why what?''

''Why would you save me?''

Applejack took a deep breath, ''Rainbow I am so sorry for what I said. I was just so upset but that was no reason to overreact like that. After you flew off, Applebloom came by and when I explained what happen she told me what she overheard from you and Scootaloo once. I know about your ounger days.''

Rainbow Dash shrunk back at hearing those words. ''But listen to me. No matter what yer daddy told you, you are worth something. Your mom only struggled because he abandoned her for some other mare. But you, you've helped stop Nightmare Moon, the Changelings, Discord, Tirek, Sombra and any other foes or challenges we faced. You're not perfect RD. No one is. But you are special and me and the girls wouldn't know what we'd do without you.''

Rainbow Dash sat up slowly in her bed, still a bit woozy from the anesthesia. ''You really mean that?''

''Absolutely. And whatever pain you're dealing with, I'll help you get through it.'' She then took out the photo from her hat and showed it to Rainbow. ''We'll help you get through it.''

The two mares embraced once again, as if they never wanted to let each other go. They had a lot to do but at least they'd do it as friends.

 **And that is a wrap people! Hereis my first MLP fanfic. I hoped you enjoyed it, let me know in the reviews and check out my other stories. I will be doing a lot of one shots before I do more lengthy fics so your feedback is definitely appreciated.**

 **Well until next time. Dobokdude signing off. Peace!**


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